Cold Shooting Sinks BYU In Loss At Providence

BYU basketball did not pass their first true road test under head coach Kevin Young.

The Cougars lost to Providence 83-64 in the Big 12-BIG EAST Battle in Rhode Island.

Final: Providence 83, #BYU 64.

BYU falls to 6-2 overall on the season.

Next up: vs. Fresno State at the Marriott Center on December 11.#BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 4, 2024

BYU had an early 6-4 lead at the 18:01 mark. From there, it was all Friars.

Providence entered the game 15th nationally in the percentage of its total points coming from beyond the arc. The Friars continued their productive ways from three by hitting a season-high 12 threes.

Providence hit 55% from three-point range, while BYU knocked down only 28% from three.

BYU had 27 more field goal attempts than Providence and only five turnovers. It still didn’t phase the red-hot Friars, who shot 60% from the field and 81% from the free throw line.

BYU star Egor Demin had a tough game. The heralded freshman was 0-for-10 from the field in 22 minutes of play. He finished with six points, all from the free-throw line.

Providence’s physical defensive approach sped up Demin and the rest of BYU’s key contributors.

Demin’s running mate on the guard line, Dallin Hall, was 1-of-6 from the field for only two points.

BYU’s leading scorer was Dawson Baker, who scored 16 points, 14 of which were in the second half.

Providence had four players in double-figures, led by Jabri Abdur-Rahim with 21 points.

PC’s star forward Bryce Hopkins returned after suffering an ACL injury on January 3. The All-Big EAST performer scored 16 points and was 10-of-12 from the free throw line.

BYU falls to 6-2 overall on the season. Providence ends a three-game losing streak and improves to 6-4.

The Friars have won 32 of their last 33 non-conference games played at Amica Mutual Pavilion.

First Half

15:03 – BYU had five offensive rebounds to zero from Providence. That allowed BYU to attempt 13 field goal attempts to only four from the Friars. The iron was unkind early on, as BYU hit only two threes and one alley-oop to Keba Keita. BYU 8, Providence 7.

12:48 — Trevin Knell and Jayden Pierre bumped into each other, which led to an official review. No fouls were called after the review. PC 14, BYU 10.

#BYU attempted 13 field goals in the opening minutes to Providence's four.

Cougs had five offensive rebounds in the first five minutes of the game.#BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 4, 2024

12:00 — Providence shot 78%, led by Bensley Joseph, who had eight points in the opening minutes. PC scored 17, BYU 12.

3:43 – The physicality of Providence’s defense is giving BYU issues. BYU is taking care of possessions with only one turnover, but they have struggled to hit shots. PC 34, BYU 25

2:52 – BYU’s Egor Demin scored his first points of the game from the free throw line. After Demin was fouled on his shot, he called for his teammates to stop standing still and move around. PC 34, BYU 30.

33.9 – Providence put together a quick 10-0 run courtesy of three three-pointers. PC 44, BYU 32.

Halftime: Providence 46, BYU 34

Halftime: Providence 46, #BYU 34.

Friars are 8-12 from 3-Point range. Physical defense from the Friars is giving BYU struggles.

Cougs are taking care of possessions (1 TO) but can't hit shots.

BYU shot 32.4% from the field.#BYUHoops

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) December 4, 2024

Egor Demin was 0-7 from the field in the first half. The heralded freshman appeared to be more aggressive with his looks on the offensive end than in previous games.

Demin knocked down all six of his free throw attempts.

Fousseyni Traore led BYU in scoring in the first half with eight points.

Providence had two players in the first half reach double-figures; Jabri Abdur-Rahim scored 11 and Bensley Joseph had 10.

The Friars shot 67% from three and 71% from the field in the first half.

This was the first halftime deficit BYU has faced under head coach Kevin Young.

Second Half

15:07 –  BYU didn’t hit a field goal until the 16:22 mark when Dawson Baker got to the rim. Providence 51, BYU 38.

13:15 – Dawson Baker scored nine consecutive points for BYU, and then Trevin Knell buried a three to cut the Friar lead down to seven after a 10-2 run. PC 53, BYU 46.

11:44 – BYU came out of the timeout in a 2-3 zone and the Friars quickly responded with an 8-0 run of their own. Egor Demin was not on the floor during that stretch. He checked out of the game at the 18:18 mark. PC 61, BYU 46.

7:28 – BYU went on another four-minute drought without a field goal. Some of the attempts were forced and did not flow with the offense. PC 68, BYU 51.

3:02 – Providence built up its lead to a game-high mark of 25 points. PC 80, BYU 55

FINAL: Providence 83, BYU 64

Up next for BYU basketball

BYU returns home to host Fresno State on Wednesday, December 11. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. (MST) on ESPN+ and KSL NewsRadio.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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